Garment-form.



O. H. POSNER. GARMENT FORM. APPLICATION I'iLED MAY 22', 1909.

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'0. H. EDS NEE. GARMENT FORM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1909.-

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CHARLES H. POSNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y,

GARMENT-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1910.

Application filed May 28, 1909. Serial No. 498,852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. POSNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garment-Forms, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in garment forms and more especially to the. class adapted for use in displaying, suspending and packing dresses or other garments, and it has for its object primarily to provide a device of this character over which a garment may be dressed and which is so constructed that the form may be quickly adjusted so as to give the garment a proper rounded form, the dressed garment being then suspended or supported by the form either for display purposes or for the purpose of retaining the garment .in the proper shape within a wardrobe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment form of this class which is very compact and is collapsible so that a garment may be packed within a suit case, trunk or'box while the form remains in collapsed condition within the garment, the necessity of removing the form being thereby avoided and, moreover the collapsed form within the garment will serve to retain the same in the proper folded condition.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a garment form of this character which is inexpensive and which requires a very small space when folded and which in use materially facilitates the displaying of garments and at the same time the wear and tear on the garments is minimized, the construction of the device being such that it is very light in weight and it therefore does not appreciably increase the weight of the garments when packed.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing :--Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garment form constructed in accordance with my present invention, the form being viewed from the front and the dotted lines indicating the manner in which the garment is dressed thereon; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the deviceas viewed from the rear, the form being in flat condition and in readiness to be collapsed; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the garment form as viewed from the rear showing the waist and skirt sections thereof expanded so as to assume a curved shape, the dotted lines indicating the position of the garment thereon which will be filled out and given the proper contour;

Figs. 4 and 5 represent transverse sections in this figure and as being folded and col;

lapsed therewith; Fig. 8 represents a plan view of the garment in folded and collapsed condition and with the form contained therein; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the device for expanding the bust portion of the form.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

It will be understood, of course, that garment forms constructed in accordance with the present invention may-be shaped so as to accommodate garments of different kinds. The invention, however, is. primarily intended as a display form for dresses and suits embodying waist and skirt sections and also the sleeves.

In the accompanying drawing,- I have I of fiat material that is capable of being flexed or bent vertically so as to assume a rounded form and they have the contour corresponding approximately to the contour that is to be given the garment. Any suitable material may, of course, be used in making these waist and skirt sections, a flexible fabric of appropriate stiffness being preferred the edges of which are protected by suitable edging. The waist and skirt sections are joined at the waist point of the form by means of a hinge whereby the waist section may be folded forwardly and collapsed flatwise against the front of the skirt section. Any suitable form of hinge may be employed, that shown in the present instance consisting of a strip 3 of flexible material that is cemented or otherwise secured to the forward faces of the waist and skirt sections and overlapping the hinge joint formed between them. The upper edge of the waist section is preferably provided with a collar portion a, and the neck portion may be apertured so as to recewe a hook or other device whereby the dressed form may be suspended.

To the rear side of the waist section is hinged an expanding board 5, this board being turnable about a vertical axis which is located in the center of the skirt section. The free edge of this board is properly shaped so that when it stands perpendicularly to the skirt section, the skirt will be filled out or given the proper contour. Any suitable form of hinge connection may be employed between the board 5 and the skirt section, a vertical strip 6 of flexible material being shown in the present instance as pasted or cemented to the board and skirt section whereby this board may either be collapsed flatw-ise against the rear side of the skirt section, or it may be turned in perendicular relation thereto, Figs. 2 and 3 illustrating the position of the board 5 in the two positions just described. 'VVhile the pivoted board 5 gives the proper contour 'to the rear side of the garment, the front of the skirt section of the garment is also rounded by causing the skirt'section to assume a curved form as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This result is at tained in the present instance automatically as the board 5 is swung into opened position by means of a strap 7 the two ends of which are attached to the opposite vertical edges of the skirt section, and an intermediate portion of this strap is engaged by the board 5 as the latter swings into opened position, the tension producedupon the strap 7 cansing the skirt section to be flexed and to thereby assume the curved form shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the board 5 lies flatwise against the rear side of the skirt section, as shown in Fig. 2, the strap 7 and also the skirt section will be straight, and

the strap 7 will serve to retain the board 5 in closed or collapsed position.

The waist section of the form is also provided with means for bowing or curving it so that the waist section of the arment dressed thereon will assume a rounded contour. The expanding or rounding of the waist section is accomplished in the present instance by means of a pair of straps 8 which are attached respectively to the opposite vertical edges of the waist section preferably at points immediately below the shoulders, and a buckle is provided for the strap so that the strap may be given the proper tension whereby the waist section will assume the desired curvature. Fig. 5 shows graphically the manner in which the strap is manipulated. Before the form is collapsed, however, this strap will be loosened so that the waist section may assume a flattened form. After the waist and skirt sections have both assumed the fiattened form as shown in Fig. 2, the waist section may be folded forwardly and collapsed fiatwise against the skirt section so that the form when thus folded requires but very small space.

In order to retain the waist and skirt sections in upright relation, a stiffening and locking device is provided which in the present instance consists of a vertically movable bar or rod 9 one end of which is guided to slide vertically in a bracket 10 secured to the front of the waist section and the lower end of this rod is adapted to engage and disengage one or more brackets 11 suitably secured to the front of the skirt section. \Vhen it is desirable to support the waist section of the form in upright position, the bar 9 is lowered so as to extend across the hinge connection at the waist line and its lower end is engaged in the brackets 11 secured to the skirt section, a rigid connection being thereby provided between the two sections. A pin or stop 12 may be provided for limiting the downward movement of the bar. When it is desirable to collapse the form, the bar 9 is lifted until its lower end is clear of the brackets on the skirt section, and as the waist and skirt sections are both in flat condition at this time, the waist may then be folded or collapsed upon the skirt about the waist line as 3, pivot.

The waist of the form in the present instance is provided with' the sleeves which in the present instance are'made in two sections, namely, the shoulder section 13 and the forearm section 14;, the shoulder sections of the arms being connected to the shoulder portions of the waist by means of hinges 15 which permit the sleeves to be folded inwardly against the waist on vertical axes, and the two arm sections are connected at the elbows by means of hinges 16 which permit the forearm sections to be folded flatwise against the elbow sections on horizontal axes which are preferably in substantial alinementwith the hinge which connects the waist and skirt sections at the waist line. Any suitable hinges may be used for the arm sections, strips of flexible material being shown similar to that used in providing the hinge connection at the waist line of the garment.

A garment form constructed in accordance with the present invention may be quickly and easily placed within a garment and then manipulated so as to expand the garment into the proper shape and while in such condition, the garment with the form inside it may either be suspended from the hook at the top or it may be stood in upright position by standing it on its base, the hinged vertical board serving in that case also as a brace or rest for steadying purposes. Obviously, the garment may be dis layed to the best advantage. .Vhen desirable to pack or ship the garment, it is only necessary to fold the board-5 and loosen the strap 8, the waist and skirt sections becoming flat, and then the bolt or bar may be lifted to unlock the hinge at the waist line, thus permitting the waist section to be folded flatwise against the skirt section and finally the arm sections may be first folded inwardly on the hinges at the shoulders and the forearm sections of the arms may be doubled at the elbows. When so folded, the garment is very compact and may be conveniently placed within a suit case, trunk or similar receptacle, and creasing of the garment except at the proper points is obviously pre vented.

In order to properly fill out the bust portion of a garment, a strip 17 may be provided the ends of which are enlarged and fitted into suitably arranged slots 18 formed 111 the waist section, this strip extending across the front of the form at the proper elevation'and it may be expanded forwardly by any suitable means, a lever 19 being shown in the present instance which extends through a slot 20 in the waist section and the upper and lower edges of this lever are slotted to fit the ends of the slot in the waist section. A turning of this lever in one direction will expand the stri 17 and a turning thereof in an opposite direction will permit both the strip and the lever to lie flatwise against the respective surfaces of the waist section.

I claim as my invention l. A garment form comprising waist and skirt sections foldably connected by a hinge at the waist line, and means for rigidly holding said sections in extended or upright rela tion.

2. A garment form comprising two sections foldably connected by a transverse hinge, and rigid means cooperative with the two sections for retaining them in alinement.

3. A garment form comprising waist and skirt sections foldably connected by a hinge at the waist line, and a bar carried by one of the sections and adapted to extend across said hinge and cooperate with the other section for retaining said sections in alinenient.

4. A garment form adapted to fit within a garment and comprising waist and skirt sectionscomposed of flat bendable material, a flexible hinge foldably connecting said sec- -tions, and means for bending both of said curved form.

6. A garment form comprising a skirt section composed of flat flexible material, a board having a hinge comiection at the rear side of said section and capable of being turned either flatwise against the same or into a position in angular relation thereto, and a strap attached to the opposite vertical edges of said section and adapted to be engaged by said board and thereby tensioned to cause the skirt section to assume a curved form.

7 A garment form embodying waist and skirt sections foldably connected by a trans verse hinge, and arm sections united to the waist section by hinges having vertical axes, the arm sections being united and foldable flatwise with respect to each other byhinges v, I

having transverse axes.

8. A garment formadapted to be placed and folded within a garment comprising waist and skirt sections both composed of flat flexible material united by a transverse hinge at thewaistline, a locking device for maintaining said sections in upright relation, means for bowing or curving both the waist and skirt sections, a board hinged on a vertical axis to the rear side of the skirt section and serving as a support therefor, and arm sections united to the waist section by hinges at the shoulders, said arm sections being also foldable at the elbows.

9. A garment form involving a waist section composed of bendable material, a tensioning device arranged at the rear of said thereof for curving said section about a vertical axis, a flexible bust-expanding strip extending across the front of said section and attached thereto at its ends and a device my hand in presence of two subscribing Witpivotally connected to the bendable section nesses.

and havin" an arm projecting forwardly therefrom to cooperate with said strip to CHARLES POSNER" expand it forwardly relatively to the for- Witnesses:

Wardly curved Waist section. M. J ACOB,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set H. WOLSTEIN. 

